Inspiring Young Readers
posted on 14 Jun 2021
A selection of recommended books for children that include stories about asylum seekers and refugees from around the world
Picture books and graphic novels (not necessarily aimed at young children)
Apha by Bessora Barroux in association with Amnesty International
A Story like the Wind by Gill Lewis, illustrated by Jo Weaver, endorsed by Amnesty International
Azzi in Between by Sarah Garland in association with Amnesty International
Blue Penguin by Petr Horacek
Boundless Sky by Amanda Addison and Munuela Adriani*
Dreams of Freedom in association with Amnesty International
For Every Child in association with Unicef
Hello! A Counting Book of Kindnesses by Hollis Kurman, illustrated by Barroux*
In my Pocket by Dorrith M. Sim, illustrated by Gerald Fitzgerald
Kasia’s Surpise by Stella Gurney
Lubna and Pebble by Wendy Meddour, illustrated by Daniel Egneus
Me and my Fear by Francesca Sanna
Migrations: Open Hearts Open Borders edited by The International Centre for the Picture Book in Society
Mrs Noah’s Garden by Jackie Marris, illustrated by James Mayhew*
My name is not Refugee by Kate Milner, endorsed by UNICEF UK*
Refuge by Anne Booth & Samuel Usher
Sea Prayer by Kaled Hosseini, illustrated by Dan Williams*
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman
The Day War Came by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb
The Island by Armin Greder
The Journey by Francesca Sanna*
The Silence Seeker by Ben Morley
There’s Room for Everyone by Anahita Teymorian
Watch the Stars Come Out by Riki Levinson
We are all born free in association with Amnesty International
You Belong by Anna Gurevitch *
Suitable for Key stages One and Two readers (and above)
Do you speak Chocolate? by Cas Lester
Escape: One Day we had to run by Ming & Wah, illustrated by Carmen Vela
Home Ground by Alan Gibbons*
My Name is Parvana (2)by Deborah Ellis
Parvana’s Journey (1) by Deborah Ellis
Night Flight by Michaela Morgan
Mud City (3) by Deborah Ellis
Mustafa’s Jumper by Coral Rumble*
Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond
Shadow by Michael Morpurgo
The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Travelling Tales: a collective creation by children living in refugee camps
Under the skin by Catherine McPhail
We All Sleep Under The Same Stars by Year Six children at Greenfield Primary School*
When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
Older/ more able readers
A Country to call Home edited by Lucy Popescu
A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk by Jan Coates
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross
Apple Cake and Baklava by Kathrin Rohmann*
A Strange Land by Alan Gibbons*
Asylum by Rachel Anderson
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Boy Everywhere by A.M.Dassau*
Boy Giant by Michael Morpurgo
Boy Overboard (1) by Morris Gleitzman
Chasing the Stars by Malorie Blackman*
Close to the Wind by Jon Walter
From Syria with Love by The Children of Al Abrar Refugee Camp
Girl in Red by Gaye Hicyilmaz
Girl Underground (2) by Morris Gleitzman
Girl with a White Dog by Anne Booth
Here I Stand: Stories that speak for Freedom by Amnesty International
Hidden by Miriam Halahmy
Home is a Place Called Nowhere by Leon Rosselson
I am David by Anne Holm*
In the Sea there are Crocodiles by Fabio Ceda
Island by David Almond
Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird
Little Soldier by Bernard Ashley
Looking at the Stars by Jo Cotterill
Mahtab’s Story by Libby Gleeson
Nine Lives & Come to Where I’m From by Zodwa Nyoni
No Ballet Shoes in Syria by Catherine Bruton*
Now Is The Time For Running by Michael Williams
Once by Morris Gleitzman
Oranges in No Man’s Land by Elizabeth Laird
Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian
Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
Refugee Tales edited by David Herd and Anna Pincus*
Ruby Tanya by Robert Swindells
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Sami’s Silver Lining by Cathy Cassidy*
The Bombs That Brought Us Together by Brian Conaghan
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
The Boy at the back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
The Dark Beneath by Alan Gibbons
The Marsh Birds by Eva Sallis
The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman
The Optician of Lampedusa by Emma Jane Kirby
The Other Side of Truth (1) by Beverley Naidoo*
The Pomegranate Tree by Vanessa Altin*
The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen*The Survival Game by Nicky Singer*
Web of Lies (2) by Beverley Naidoo
Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird*
When Stars are scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohammed
Where I Belong by Gillian Cross
For further titles on this subject and reviews see:
http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/search/?query=refugees
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/search/node/asylum%20seekers
http://www.letterpressproject.co.uk/inspiring-young-readers
http://www.letterpressproject.co.uk/inspiring-older-readers